Return postage-stamp



(No Modl.)

R. s. WILLIAMS. RETURN POSTAGE STAMP.

Patented June 2x6, 189,4.

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ROBERT S. WILLIAMS, OFKMERCHANTIVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES V. WILLIAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RETU RN POSTAGE-STAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 522,037, dated J' une 26,1894.

Application filed March 3,1894.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Merchan tville, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvementsin Return Postage-Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is t'o provide a letter sent by the ordinary mail with a return .receipt card and stamp; the stamp being of such a form that it will attach the card to the letter and be utilized to return the card to the sender of the letter.

In the accompanying drawingsz--Figure l, is a view of my improved return stamp. Fig. 2, is a view showing the stamp attached to the back of the return card. Fig. 3, is a face view of the card showing the ends of the stamp overlapping. Fig. 4, is a view of aletter with the return card and stamp attached; and Fig. 5, is a sectional view on the line 5 5, Fig et.

The main object of my invention is to provide a substitute for the ordinary registry of letters in which the sender of the letter has to register the letter at a post office. Often this is very inconvenient and consequently letters that should be receipted for are sent in the ordinary manner, but if stamps can be procured which can readily be attached to a return card and to a letter and the letter receipted for on the return card by the receiver in the presence of the postman and the receipted card returned to the sender it will be of great convenience to the public at large.

Referring to the drawings, A is a stamp which can be of any suitable design and extending from each side of the body a of the stamp are wings or coupons b b; these wings as well as the body of the stamp are preferably gummed at the back so that the stamp can be readily attached to the return card and to an envelope. On the body of the stamp as well as on the wings is a number, in the present instance number 3,456; this number is preferably printed on the stamp the same as on bank notes the stamp being con-A secutively numbered. By this means thereceiving post oftice as well as the delivery post office can keep an account of al1 mail matter Serial No. 502,188. (No model.)

havingreturn stamps so that'the letters be- 5o come practically registered.4

- The stamp is secured-across the back of the return card B in such a manner that the wings b b extend beyond the edges of the card, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and' after the stamp has been secured to the return card it is secured to the envelope D, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 by the overlapping wings.

The return card may have on the back the Words Received at, Collected by, De-

livered at and Received by so that the card will indicate the post office from which it was mailed, the postman who collected it, what post office it was delivered at, and who received it, so that when the card, which is addressed on its face, is returned to the sender it will give to the sender'the information desired. Wh en the letter is received and after the return card is signed by the recipient the stamp is severed on the lines x x so as to leave the Wings or coupons b b on the envelope and "the body ot of the stamp on the return card,

sender of the letter he has a receipt for the letter inthe hand writing of the person to whom the letter was addressed and the number on the receipt corresponds with the number on the letter without any labor on the part of the postal authorities.

Thus while my invention does not cover the same ground as the ordinary registered Ythus when the return card is received by the f letter in which a receipt is given by the post oftice authorities, still it. covers sufficient ground to answer ordinary purposes, that is where a sender of a letter simply wants a receipt from the person receiving the letter.

The return card may be supplied by the p ost office with the printed matter as indicated wings or coupons at each side adapted to be attached to the letter and severed from the body of the stamp, in combination with a return card to which the body of the stamp is secured, substantially as described.

2. A return postage stamp for letters consisting of the body portion having a number thereon, with wings or coupons at each side to be secured to a letter, one or both of said 1o coupons having numbers thereon correspond ing to the numbers on the body of the stamp, in combination with a return card to which the body of the stamp is adapted to be secured, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a return card of a return postage stamp, consisting of the body portion secured to the return card, a number thereon, wings or coupons at each side of the stamp and having numbers corresponding to ROBERT S. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

S. W. REEVES, HENRY HovvsoN. 

